'Your Petitioners were in hopes that the disaffected Party would not have reduced them to the disagreeable necessity of applying for protection during the continuance of the War with Great Britain, but our present Circumstances loudly demand the speedy & éfectwal execution of the Promise made by the Legislature; we shall otherwise be compelled to obey a Government which we view as an Usurpation, and add our strength to oppose one which we conceive entitled to our dutiful Obedience & support.

Your Petitioners therefore humbly, and in the most urgent &: earnest manner, on behalf of themselves and their Constituents: entreat that your Excellency will take immediate & effectual Measures for protecting the loyal Subjects in this part of the State in their Persons and Properties & to convince the honorable the Congress of the Impropriety of delaying a publication of'

960 CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE

their Sentiments in a matter which so nearly concerns the Peace, Welfare & probably the Lives of many of their firm adherents. And your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever Pray &c. By order of the Committees

Samurt Minorr Chairman Brattleborough 4th May 1779.

COL. PATERSON TO GOV. CLINTON.

; Hinsdale, May 5% 1779. May it please your Excellency,

Some late conduct of the Vermont Party, tending rapidly towards a civil. War, obliges me to give your Excellency early Intelligence of it, and of our Proceedings in Opposition to them. That Party having ordered Capt. James Clay, Lieut. Benjamin Wilson & one M". Cummins (all acknowledged subjects of New York in Putney) to provide a man to go into service for a short space of time to guard the frontiers; the week before last foreibly took a cow from Capt. Clay and another from Mr. Wilson to pay a person they had hired for them & the Expences.